Sylvania



(No Model.)

R. OAROTHERS' & A. WEHR. COUPLING FOR WELL PUMPING RIGS.

No. 600,713. Patented Mar. 15', 1898.

NTTE TATES ATENT OFFICE,

ROBERT CAROTHERS AND AUSTIN WEI-IR, OF GLADE MILLS, PENN- SYLVANIA.

COUPLING FOR WELL-PUMPING RIGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,? 13, dated March 15,1898.

Application filed July 16, 1896.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT CAROTHERS and AUSTIN VVEHR, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Glade Mills, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couplings for l/Vell-Pumping Rigs; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in couplings for well-pumping rigs, and is designed more particularly for use where several pumps are operated by power common to all and located at a distant point. Heretofore in operating pumps under such conditions when a break occurred in one of the lines or one of the pumps needed repairs it has been necessary to 'stop the engine until the necessary repairs were made, thus throwing all the pumps out of operation and involving great expense and loss of time. By means of our improved coupling it is not necessary to stop the power when it is required to make repairs to one of the pumps or in one of the lines.

Said coupling consists of two sections, one of which is connected to the power mechanism and the other to the line extending to the well, the sections being provided with means for connecting them so that they will move in unison, and means for disconnecting them, whereby the power-section maybe permitted to reciprocate while the well-section remains stationary.

The invention further consists in the construction and combination of the parts, as hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a View showing the application of our invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the coupling, partly in section. Fig. 3 shows the parts of the coupling separated.

Adesignates the engine or source of power,

Serial No. 599,418. (No model.)

which is provided with the usual mechanism, from which extend independent lines to the several pumps, and to each line is connected our'improved coupling.

O designates one section of, the coupling, which is attached to the line that extends to the well, while the other section D is connected either directly or indirectly to the engine, the connections, as shown in the drawings, being made by straps c and d. The section 0 of the coupling consists of atube having in its upper side a longitudinal recess or slot 0 of considerable length, and the section D consists of a tube of smaller diameter, so that it may slide or play within the tube 0. The tube D is provided with a longitudinal series of slots or openings 61, the end slots be ing of such distance apart that when the section D is properly positioned in the section 0 said end slots will be located on a line with the ends of the slot 0. By this arrangement keys or stops E placed in the end slots d will bear against the end walls of the slot 0 and hold the sections 0 and D in positive engagement with each other, completing the coupling. I

A hook F is secured to the under side of the well-section, and with this hook engages an anchor-chain G, which holds the sections so as to prevent the slack that would otherwise occur when the key or stop E at the far end of the slot 0 is removed to permit the tube or rod D to slide within the tube (3 without reciprocating the latter.

The keys or stops E are flat pieces of metal having transverse openings at their upper ends to receive cotter-pins e, though it is obvious headed pins could be employed in the same connection. The keys or stops are preferably tapered to take up any wear between the sections 0 and D.

In operation when the coupling is complete, with the stops or pins E in the end slots (1 and bearing against the ends of the slot 0, the reciprocation of the section D will be communicated to the line extending to the pump through the intervention of the section 0, and should it be desired to stop any one of the pumping-rigs the sections D and O of the coupling thereof are readily disconnected by removing the pin or stop E at the far end of the slot 0, which will permit the tube or rod D to slide or play loosely in the tube 0, the anchor-chain being connected to the hook F to take up the slack that would otherwise occur in the line extending to the pump. WVhen it is desired to make the coupling, it is only necessary to replace the key. Should any slack occur in the line, it can easily be taken up by placing one of the pins or stops in one of the intermediate vertical openings 01, and as the rod or tube D moves back it will draw upon the section 0, which can be held to the limit of its backward movement by the anchor-chain being placed in engagement with the hook F. The key or stop is then removed, and as the section D moves forward said stop is placed in the next opening, and so on until the opening at the opposite end is brought on a line with the corresponding end of the slot 0, when the other key is inserted to complete the coupling.

This device provides a quick and effective means for throwing any one of the lines that extend to the pumps in and out of connection with the power or engine, and also provides means for taking up the slack in the lines when in the act of making a coupling.

In case the line breaks, our anchor device, being adjustable, is so arranged that we can let out the line to any distance required in order that the break may be repaired, and by our device we can lift the mechanism in the well and put it to work without any extra labor.

Having thus described our invention, we do not wish to be limited to the particular construction and arrangement of the parts as herein shown and described, for it will be understood that the parts could be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of our claims, which are 1. In a shackle-rod for wells, the combination of one section of said shackle-rod connected to the power mechanism, a second section thereof connected to the pumping mechanism, means for connecting said sections to move in unison, means for disconnecting the same, whereby the power-section is permitted to reciprocate while the well-section remains stationary, and an anchor device adapted to connect the latter section to a stationary object.

2'. A shackle-rod for wells, comprising two sections, one of said sections having a longitudinal slot and the other a series of holes or openings, and keys adapted to fit the holes and bear against the ends of the slot, and means for connecting one of said sections to the power mechanism and the other to the well mechanism.

3. A coupling for well-pumping rigs comprising two sections in sliding engagement with each other, one of said sections having a longitudinal slot and the other a series of openings or holes, keys or stops let into the holes to engage the ends of the slot; together with a hook carried by the section connected to the line that extends to the pump, and an anchor-chain for engagement with said hook, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

4. A coupling for well-pumping rigs comprising two sections or tubes in sliding engagement with each other, the outer tube having a longitudinal slot and the inner tube a series of holes or openings, keys adapted to be passed through the slot to engage the holes in the inner section, one of the sections being connected to the power and the other to the line that extends to the pump; together with a hook attached to the section connected to the line, and an anchor-chain for engagement with said hook, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT OAROTHERS. AUSTIN WVEHR.

Witnesses:

J. P. SHIRLEY, THos. R. McMILLAN. 

